Belmopan – December 15, 2009 – The Belize Bureau of Standards designed a 5- Star Store Survey to highlight grocery outlets that are protecting consumer’s health, safety and economic interest.

The survey aims to provide the Belizean consumers with relevant information to make wise shopping decisions and to encourage grocery store owners to act socially responsible. During the months of October and November 169 of the major grocery stores in the towns and cities were surveyed.

The stores were chosen based on the business structure such as size, location and variety of goods offered for sale. A weighting system was used whereby each grocery outlet was assessed across seven categories: display of Trade License, GST Registration and price listing of control goods, receipts provided and the point of sale, labeling of pre-packaged goods being offered for sale, health and sanitation of the premises, weights and measures (verifying the type of scale being used, location of the scales within the premises and net content of pre-packaged items such as rice, flour, sugar and beans), sale of expired goods and controlled prices. The stores with the Highest rating in each district are as follows:

The Second 5-star survey will be out in March 2010. For more information on the 5-star store survey or to offer comments or suggestions, please contact: Ms. Kenisha Stuart, Belize Bureau of Standards, Ministry of Works Compound, Power Lane Belmopan City. Telephone Number 822-0446/0447. Consumer Protection Hotline : 0-200-2-TELL-US/ 0-800-283-5587. Email: cplo@bbs.gov.bz